Lo ames o lo odies, haz que este invierno funcione para ti

Your newsletter writer is typing away while fluffy flakes fall from the sky into a backdrop a Hallmark holiday movie director would drool over. But not all of us find winter as cozy. So this week, we deliver strategies for a transformative season—no matter your personality type.

But first, refresh your batteries with…

Your Checkup: 

• Love healthy eats? These delicious food gifts give back
• Does anxiety meet you in the morning? Try these tactics
• With 55 people sickened, understand bird flu symptoms
• Why all the beef about beef tallow? Here’s the science
• Here’s why you sometimes get more UTIs in the winter
• And how to get same-day prescription UTI treatment online
• Why Big Pharma funds the FDA—and how this happened
• On a weight loss drug? Here’s why booze may hurt now
• Millions have ME/CFS. So why aren’t we trying to cure it?
• A new study on blood sugar + flavanols in dark chocolate
• Why you shouldn’t pee in the shower or toilet hover

Primary Care

Avoid stress. Like, really.

Anhedonia is a physiological resistance to joy and pleasure—and it’s not relieved by medication. However, a new study may reveal a potential treatment.

Researchers first identified mice vulnerable to anhedonia after stressful situations. (Meaning the mice avoided pleasurable experiences.) Then, they linked the lack with areas of the brain responsible for reward-seeking behavior (joy) that had fragmented communication systems.

Once the researchers improved the disjointed communication, the mice resumed joy-seeking activity and showed increased resilience. If the same proves true in humans, brain stimulation might prove fruitful for us, too.

Until then, make avoiding stressful situations a priority if you want to reap joy this winter.

Challenge softly, now.

The 75 Hard Challenge requires members to exercise twice daily, diet vigorously and do other things without fail for 75 days—starting over if they drop the ball.

For a gentler refresh, Popsugar suggests the 75 Soft Challenge.

There's no perfection required nor an aim to look different at the end. Instead, you:

1. Eat well (whatever that means to you) and drink only socially.
2. Exercise 45 min daily for 6 days and do gentle movement on the 7th.
3. Drink a gallon of water daily,
4. Read ten pages of whatever book you like daily.

Read the article for examples, suggestions and warnings.

Or start a Dr. B fitness consultation to find out if we can help you save on gym membership, fitness class, tracker, equipment or app fees by unlocking your pre-tax HSA/FSA funds with a Letter of Medical Necessity.

Center and focus.

For those who thrive with structure, a winter arc might be your ideal project.

According to the NY Times, you can aim the open-ended concept toward any goal, add any elements and start at any time.

Some people go hardcore with early rise times, regular journaling, ambitious exercise routines and even extreme haircuts. Others focus on adding pleasures or avoiding stress-inducing situations.

So identify what you want to achieve over the next three months. Then jot down as few or as many tasks you'll embrace to get there.

And starting doing them.

Healthcare 911

What to to know about MCAS, a condition that can feel like a nonstop allergic reaction (Self). Mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) is condition where a type of white blood cell (mast) overreacts and causes various symptoms ranging from severe anaphylaxis to low blood pressure and dizziness. For some patients, a specific trigger sets off the reaction. For others, a genetic predisposition or an unknown cause creates chronically high levels. Read the article for more information (including questions for your GP) or get prescription allergy treatment online with a $15 consultation.

Which weight-loss drug is better: Wegovy or Zepbound? (Time). The first clinical trial comparing Wegovy (Semaglutide) and Zepbound (Tirzepatide) found participants on Zepbound lost an average of 20% of their starting body weight after 18 months, while Wegovy participants lost around 14%. Both medications target the GLP-1 hormone, which decreases appetite and stimulates insulin production. Zepbound also encourages GIP production, which further promotes insulin promotion.

Dr. B offers both medications in our holistic prescription weight loss program, which includes everything you need to take the medication safely at home—plus unlimited support—for an inclusive monthly price. To learn more or find out if prescription weight loss treatment is right for you, start an online consultation.

The fight against medical debt is pivoting to the states after Trump's election (NPR). Anticipating that the incoming Administration will reduce access to affordable health coverage that limits out-of-pocket costs, watchdog groups and advocates are shifting their medical cost-reducing efforts from federal to state levels. Primary targets include passing credit reporting bans and expanding financial aid for lower-income patients.